tongue twister

American  

[tuhng twis-ter] / ˈtʌŋ ˌtwɪs tər /

noun

1. a word or sequence of words difficult to pronounce, especially rapidly, because of alliteration or a slight variation of consonant sounds, as “She sells seashells by the seashore.”

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tongue twister British  

noun

1. a sentence or phrase that is difficult to articulate clearly and quickly, such as Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper

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Usage

What else does tongue twister mean? Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear—try saying that three times fast. This and other tongue twisters are words or phrases that are difficult to pronounce, often deliberately so and due to lots of similar sounds. How do you pronounce tongue twister?[tuhng twis-ter]

Etymology

Origin of tongue twister

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

It's like a tongue twister, almost, because you're working two sides of your body at once.

From BBC • Dec. 9, 2023

Yeah, someone paid him $150 for that tongue twister.

From Slate • Dec. 5, 2023

Even Dominic didn’t know who Justin Finch-Fletchley was, other than a tongue twister.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 21, 2023

A correct pronunciation of even the most challenging tongue twister, once perhaps merely a sign of sophistication, is now expected.

From New York Times • Feb. 24, 2015

And I remember something I learned in school, a trabalenguas, tongue twister, with lots of rs: Rápido rápido corren los carros sobre los rieles del ferrocarril.

From "Beast Rider" by Tony Johnston & María Elena Fontanot de Rhoads